Valve.



H. C. MAUL.

I VALVE.

I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30. 1915.

1,171,622. Patefited Feb. 15,1916.

1 Hanna UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY C. MAUI, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR' TO THE MICHIGAN STOVE COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

VALVE.

Specification of LettersIatent.

Patented Feb 15, 1916.

Application filed SeptemberSO, 1915. Serial No. 53,382.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY C. MAUL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valves, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. i

This invention relates to valves for water heaters utilizing gas as a fuel, and more. particularly to that type of valve automati cally operated by water pressureto openanclfclose a valve controlling the supply of gas to the burner of the '"waterheater, A common type of this valve has water and gas valves separated by stems passing through packing boxes susceptible to leak-. age, excessive friction, necessitating re peated repairs. Besides, there is a possibility of waterentering gas connections, or gas entering water connections, either of which'require attention.

These and other defects have been noted and it is the primary object of my invention to eliminate faulty construction by providing a valve, which is positive'in its action, sensitive to the least fluctuation in water pressure, devoid of packing or ele ments that must be repeatedly renewed, composed of parts that can be easily and quickly assembled by unskilled labor, and, highlyxeificient as an automatic control of a water heater; 7 7

My improvements will be better understood when reference is had to the draw ing, wherein a p Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a valve in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View of the same taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1.

The valve comprises a gas chamber 1, an intermediate atmospheric [chamber 2, and a water chamber 3, said chambers being superposed with a flexible diaphragm 4: forming the bottom of thewatercham-' her 3 and a flexible diaphragm 5r forming the top or roof of the gas chamber 1. The gas chamber 1 is somewhat bowl shaped and has a side connection 6 as an inlet for gas; The bottom of the chamber 1 has a gas outlet connection 7 and an annular groove 8for a valve seat 9 made of fiber. The top of the gas chamber 1 has an annular shoulder 10 for a gasket 11 and the" marginal edges of the diaphragm 5. Rest-; ing' upon the marginal edges of the diais a cylindricalshell 12 formingphragm o the walls of theintermediate atmospheric chamber 2, and this-shell is provided with; a series of openings 13 and a plurality-of articulated ribs 14:, said ribs, constituting a spider within the chamber 2. I

The water'chamber 3 is somewhat dome shaped and has a side water inlet connection 15 and a flushing connection 16 which is diametrically opposite the water inletcon nection, whereby the water chamber 3 may be flushed and sediment or otherforeign matter removed. therefrom. The flushing connection 16 is adapted to be closed by a faucet, similar to the drain pipe of an ordinary water boiler. ,The top of the Water chamber 3 has a water outlet connection 17 and the bottom of said chamber has an an nular shoulderlS for a gasket 19, the marginal edges of the diaphragm A, and the upper end of the shell 12. The confronting ends of the chambers 1 and 3 have apertured lugs 20 "connected by bolts 21 constituting a conventional' means of holding the three chambers in a superposed assembled position.

"' The diaphragmse and 5 are made of sheet brass or a similar material that canbe warped or flexed and to increase such action the diaphragms are provided with an v seat :9 at the bottom of the gas chamber 1;

The fiber seat 9 cooperates with a sharp an- 1 nular edge 26 of the valve in establishing a;

non-leakable shut off for gas when the valve is closed.- V

p The gas valve stem 22 is screwed into the stem sections 27 and 28 of a water valve 29 V reciprocable in the chamber 3.7 The stem section 27 is'hexagonal in crosssecjtion or provided with suitable facets to facilitate screwing said stem section on thegas valve stem 22. This stem section cooperates with the nut 23 in holding the gas valve relative to the diaphragm 5 and cooperates with the stem section 28 in holding the water valve 29 relative to the diaphragm l. The stem section 27 is disposed axially of the chamher 2 extending through the spider, and is encircled by a coiled compression spring which bearing against the spider and engaging the diaphragm 5, holds the gas valve normally closed. The water valve 29 has the form of a disk provided with depending lugs 31 engaging the walls of the water chamber and guiding said valve in its movement.

In operation, the principle involved is practically the same as any ordinary automatic water. heater valve, that is, a reduction of water pressure above the water valve 29, caused by opening a hot water faucet, the pressure of water below the va ve 29 raises said valve, against the action of the spring 30 and opens the gas valve 25,, thereby allowing gas to flow to the burner ofa water heater and be ignited by the usual pilot light. An equal water pressure above. and below the water. valve 29, caused by the closing of a hot water faucet, closes the gas valve '25, the'pressure of water upon the diaphragm 4 cooperatingwith the spring 30 in this operation. i i

If during the operation of a water heater there should be a break in a city main or the water be unexpectedly shut on, then the tension of the spring is sufiic ent to close the gas valve and prevent asphyxiation or other accidents incident to the escape of gas.

Considerable importance is attached to the use of two diaphragnis and the intermediate atmospheric chamber 2. Should there be leakage at the marginal edges of the diaphragm or at eitherof the valve stems, the. intermediate atmospheric chamber 7 allows gas and water to escape without water entering the gas chamber or gas entering the water chamber, but if thecasing parts of the valve are properly assemblechsuch ,lealrage is impossible. strated by an actual test of over thirty thousand operations suflicient in number for years of service, and it has been further found that two diaphragms insure'a very sensitive action of the valve and increase the longevity of the same. In operation it has also been found that when a hot water faucet is partially open that the water valve 29. is shifted approximately a thirty second part of an inch. and establishes communication between the lower part of the water chamber and the upper part thereof and that when the faucet is wide open the water valve. has been moved a sixteenth part of an inch. Such movement retains the lugs 31 of the water valve in engagement with the walls of the chamber 3, whereby the valve cannot become accidentally displaced, yet provides sufficient communication between the upper This has been demon-.

and lower parts of the water chamberto estabhsh a free flow of water through a heating coil to a hot water faucet.

In closing the water valve 29 and: seating the gas valve, 25., excessive warping or flexing of the diaphragms at and 5 is prevented by the upper edges of the rib 14 being below and in proximity to the diaphragm 4:, thus eliminating any danger of the diaphragms being cracked or injured.

It is thought that the operation and utility of the valve will befapparent without further description, and while in the drawlng there is illustrated a preferred GHIbOClb mospheric. chamber, said diaphragms adapted to causesaid valvesto move equidistantin synchronisin, means between said diaphragms holding said gas. valve normally closed, and means cooperating with said holding means adapted to limit the movement of said diaphragms in one direction.

2 valve of the type described. comprising a casing, a gas valve in a part of said casing adapted to control passage of gas therethrough, a water valve in another part ofsaid casing adaptedv to control passage of water therethrough, spaced parallel dia phragrns between 4 said valves 7 adapted to cause said valves tomove in synchronism,

said diaphragms cooperating with said casing in forminga chamber in communication with the atmosphere whereby gas leakage in said casing may escape to the atmosphere, and means between said diaphragm holding said gas valve normally closed,

3. A valve comprising a gas chamber having gas inlet and outletQcormections, a water chamber having water inlet and outlet con-.-

nections, a valve ineach chamber, an inter mediate chamber providing an outlet for leakage of gas and water 1n sald valve, a

spider in said chamber, diaphragms formingthe top, and bottom of said intermediate chamber, means connecting said valves and said diaphragms and devoid of stuffing boxes to cause said valves to move in synchronism, and means engaging said spider and one of said diaphragrns adapted to hold said gas valve normally closed.

i A valve of the type describech-comprising a gas chamber. having gas inlet and outlet connections, a water chamber having stems interlocked with said diaphragms to cause the valves to move in synchronism.

5. A valve of the type described comprlsmg a gas chamber having gas inlet and outlet connections, a water chamber having water inlet and outlet connections, an atmospheric chamber between said gas and water chambers afiording an outlet for escaping gas and water in said valve, diaphragms forming the top and bottom of said atmospheric chamber held in place by said gas and water chambers, means connecting said gas and water chambers to maintain said atmospheric chamber therebetween, valves in said gas and water chambers, and a sectional valve stem interlocked with said diaphragms to cause said valves to move in synchronism.

6. An automatic water heater valve comprising a gas chamber having gas inlet and outlet connections, an intermediate atmos- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

chamber having water inlet and outlet connections, a diaphragm between said water chamber and said intermediate chamber, a

gas valve in said gas chamber, a threaded stem having a ball and socket connection with said gas valve, a water valve in said water chamberv above the water inlet connection with said chamber and having a sectional stem in screw-threaded engagement with the stem of said gasvalve and holding said diaphragms relative to said gas valve stem, a spider in said atmospheric chamber adapted to limit the movement of said diaphragms in one direction by one of said diaphragms contacting therewith, and means between said spider and one of'said diaphragms adapted to hold the gas valve normally closed. 7 i y In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY C. MAUL.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. AUSHER, CEPHRES R. PoRNAvrLLE.

Washington, D. G. g 

